🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Battles A Dip in Form The intense attention that has fallen upon one global Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was placed on the bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw. The Veteran Duo and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the stark fact that performance has dipped concerningly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Symbolized The Issue It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs off. It's the incorrect choice. He needs to go to the ball. Him not making the decision means that no one else knows what to do." "Virgil Van Dijk last season was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the initiative. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the norm. A Side Lacking Ideas Slot persisted with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had beaten keeper Alisson. Credit Due and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky to turn Trai Hume's shot onto the bar in the first half before Omar Alderete headed against the post after the interval. Liverpool were slow, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, self-believing and a genuine threat. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.
The intense attention that has fallen upon one global Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was placed on the bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw. The Veteran Duo and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the stark fact that performance has dipped concerningly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Symbolized The Issue It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs off. It's the incorrect choice. He needs to go to the ball. Him not making the decision means that no one else knows what to do." "Virgil Van Dijk last season was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the initiative. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the norm. A Side Lacking Ideas Slot persisted with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had beaten keeper Alisson. Credit Due and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky to turn Trai Hume's shot onto the bar in the first half before Omar Alderete headed against the post after the interval. Liverpool were slow, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, self-believing and a genuine threat. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.